2025 Ram 1500 RHO vs. TRX: Can a Twin-Turbo Six Compare to a Supercharged V-8?

After the Ram 1500 TRX officially ended production at the end of 2023, the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO came screaming across the desert in promotional materials the following April, seemingly to fill the void left by the high-powered off-road pickup. So, is the RHO the TRX’s direct replacement? That isn't a complicated question, but it depends on who you ask. Ask Ram, and it'll tell you it isn’t, just a new addition to the 2025 Ram 1500 lineup. Ask anybody who isn’t legally blind, and they'll tell you the RHO sure looks a lot like a TRX—at least, everywhere apart from its engine bay.

Dimensionally they're similar, with similar mechanical components, suspension, and off-road capabilities. So what exactly is the difference, besides the new name?

Why TRX?

When Ford came out with the F-150 Raptor, it needed a nemesis. It took a surprising number of years to get one, in the form of the Ram TRX, whose name even hewed to the Ford’s dino theme: It represented the great Tyrannosaurus rex, terrorizing the rest of the dinosaurs—the smaller raptor (the dinosaur) included. This unsubtle dig was backed up by the Ram’s supercharged V-8, a dunk on the (at the time) six-cylinder-only F-150 Raptor, which had long ago given up its (naturally aspirated) V-8 engine option.

We are led to think that T-rex bit is a fan narrative more than anything. The reality of the TRX’s name is simpler than that and comes down to time constraints and lawyers. See, while the design team had a plethora of ideas to choose from, there wasn’t time to vet the copyrights to a new name. So, Ram went through what it already had. Digging through the history books, somebody recalled an old off-road package: the TRX4. Its history meant slapping it on a new off-road truck wasn’t an oddball move, and the TRX was born. That the name ended up perfectly aligning with the Ford competitor’s theme was icing on the cake; as far as the image of a T-rex eating a raptor molded into the plastic under the hood goes, maybe it was inspired after the fact, but hey, a great story is a great story.

Why RHO?

The RHO hasn't earned a reputation as king of the dinosaurs, nor does it seem to have any dino associations at all, but its name is a bit more straightforward: Ram Hi-Output, taking inspiration from the Hurricane SST HO (straight-six high-output) nestled under its hood.

It’s not the only truck in the current 1500 lineup to get this engine (unlike the TRX, the only 1500 available with the blown V-8), but it is the only one with the kind of capability the TRX brought to the table. In that regard, it does replace the TRX at the top of lineup. And its engine is unique(-ish) because of a better-flowing intake and exhaust. It doesn’t warrant an official new power rating, but development engineers say the difference is noticeable.

Actual hurricanes are no joke as a respected and feared part of mother nature's repertoire. Scarier than dinosaurs? Maybe, and easily more destructive. Still, the Hurricane engine is slightly underpowered compared to the TRX’s V-8, with “only” 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque, but that doesn't automatically mean the RHO is any less capable than the 702-hp TRX.

Engines

The TRX’s Hellcat-derived engine is a traditional pushrod V-8 with 16 overhead valves and hydraulic roller lifters. Pushrod engines are a tried-and-true idea still used by many heavy-duty engines, including V-8s from GM and Ford. The Hurricane uses more modern engineering ideas (as far as American OEMs are concerned), a smaller-displacement, twin-turbo straight-six with dual overhead cams and dual independent valve timing, meaning the timing of the exhaust and intake valves can be adjusted separately. It has hydraulic lash adjusters and roller finger followers. Two Garrett turbos force air through the engine, contrasted with the TRX’s supercharger from IHI.

TRX Performance

Part of the 1500 TRX’s fun is just how outrageously fast it is. When MotorTrend first tested one, it went 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, crossing the quarter mile at 106.3 mph. A later example dropped that 0–60-mph time to only 3.9 seconds. And despite 35-inch off-road tires, long-travel suspension, and the capability to eat lumps and bumps with ease, it stills nets respectable towing and hauling.

That's damn fast for anything, putting plenty of sports cars to shame. Because the RHO makes less power, one would assume the RHO is slower, and on paper, it is, though not by much.

RHO Performance

Ram estimated a 4.5-second 0–60 time for the TRX, with the truck crossing the quarter-mile mark after 12.9 seconds at 108 mph. It estimates the RHO will hit 60 mph just one tenth of a second slower and the quarter mile two tenths of a second slower at 105 mph.

The TRX beat Ram’s estimate by four tenths of a second in the real world during MotorTrend testing. There’s no guarantee before RHOs start hitting the road, but we could be looking at a sub-4.5-second 60-mph rip for the RHO if it outperforms current expectations like the TRX did. Current Hurricane-powered Ram 1500s we’ve tested have made it to 60 mph in as little as 4.4 seconds. A work truck with the standard-output (420-hp) Hurricane even did the deed in 4.8 seconds. The RHO will be quick, no doubt about it.

Head to head, the TRX probably wins, but it would be a close race. Either way, the RHO should still be an exhilarating ride. And if a 4.5-second off-road beast disappoints anybody, then you'll have to try a lot harder to get your thrills. Anyone have a bucket of nitro methane lying around?

Dimensions

The trucks don't look all that different because they aren’t, with both based on a Ram 1500, which doesn’t change much from the TRX era to today’s 2025-onward RHO era. The TRX was based on the fifth-generation Ram 1500 sold from 2018 to 2024, and the RHO arrives on the new sixth-generation platform as a 2025 model-year refresh. Some things haven't changed between generations, like the box size. Technically speaking, the RHO has 0.1 cubic foot more cargo volume in the bed, but the floor length is the same with the tailgate closed, as are cargo width, wheelhouse width, and bed depth. Tailgate to ground height increases 0.6 inch on the RHO compared to the TRX.

Front axle ground clearance stays equal at 9.4 inches, but the approach angle increases by almost a degree for the RHO while the departure angle increases almost 2 degrees. None of these factors are so significant that they can't be fudged by scraping a little bit of sand or dirt.

Payload and Towing

As much as we love what both trucks have the potential to do off-road, they're still trucks and we expect them to act as such. The Hurricane has less power than the Hellcat, but it’s also lighter, weighing 150 pounds less, and that’s weight you get back in payload and towing. We estimate the RHO is a total of around 300 pounds lighter than the TRX, based on payload, towing capacity, and engine weight.

The TRX can tow a maximum of 8,100 pounds and is rated for a 1,310-pound maximum payload. The RHO—because of its weight savings—bumps up those numbers to 8,380 pounds

and 1,520 pounds so you can do more work with it or carry more gear than the TRX. This isn't the final verdict on whether one or the other is better, but it's important to consider when you compare the two.

Off-Road Capability

When planning this year's most capable off-road truck, Ram would have disappointed with anything less capable than the TRX, regardless of what was under the hood. It might be the biggest reason why looking at the RHO as anything but a direct replacement is difficult to do. Specification wise, the trucks are nearly identical.

Front suspension on the RHO retains the 13 inches of front suspension travel found on the TRX, with a five-link suspension, live axle, and 14 inches of travel in the rear. Most suspension components are essentially the same with forged aluminum control arms up front, coil springs, full-floating axle shafts, and an electronic locking differential. Ground clearance is a generous 11.8 inches after 2 inches of ride height increase on the RHO. The 35-inch tires wrap available 18-inch beadlock-capable wheels.

New Suspension?

We see the return of the Blackhawk e2 dampers, but they've been reworked for the RHO. They have new internals, a new adaptive damping strategy, reworked hard points, and a new mounting strategy. So the RHO will have its own ride and handling characteristics because of the reworked dampers and the decrease in weight under the hood, shifting the weight distribution.

Ram says the updated dampers will be better controlled on- and off-road, which is a welcomed improvement over the TRX. In previous testing of various trucks, including our long-term TRX, we found its ride too stiff compared to competitors like the Ford Raptor R. Knowing that we can run it harder and faster off-road and be more comfortable on the highway makes the RHO look an appealing prospect considering that everything else seems to be equal.

Hydraulic jounce control prevents the Bilstein dampers from bottoming out when gravity sucks the RHO back to the ground. Both trucks have an impressive 32 inches of water fording ability, but the RHO has front and rear oil pickups to avoid loss of lubrication when you're cruising up or down steep inclines.

Interior and Tech

What the RHO lacks in supercharged shenanigans it makes up for with new tech offerings from the 2025 Ram 1500 lineup. An available best-in-class 50 inches of digital displays either means information overload will have you send both trucks packing for a silicon-free 1946 Ram Power Wagon, or you’ll appreciate the decentralization of available information across a new 14.5-inch center display digital cluster, a configurable head-up display, and a passenger display, giving the copilot access to media, navigation, and off-road cameras.

It’s still a luddite’s worst nightmare, but the new RHO-only multifunction switch bank below the center display adds physical controls in addition to the Trailer Reverse Steering Control available in both trucks, and the HVAC controls on the sides of the display.

The TRX is no slouch in the tech department, either, with similar options and a generous 12.0-inch center display, but the passenger display wasn’t available, and the new dual wireless phone charging and Level 2 hands-free driving assist give the RHO a slight edge.

Fuel Efficiency

Neither truck is light on fuel consumption by today’s standards, but the Hurricane does pull some mpgs over the Hellcat with its 14/16/15 mpg city/highway/combined rating compared to the TRX's 10/14/12 mpg figures. Saving the environment isn’t the reason most people buy hardcore off-road trucks, so in this case those numbers mean you'll be able to travel farther in the RHO than you would with the TRX. How much farther? About 25 percent, or 100 miles based on the EPA ratings and 33-gallon tank standard in each truck. In our experience, the TRX had a hard time even living up to the less-than-stellar rating the EPA gave it, so hopefully the RHO delivers.

Which One Is Best?

As similar as the TRX and RHO are, picking one might not be that straightforward. If eight cylinders is a must-have in your vision of a dream truck, or burning more fuel to haul less stuff fulfills some oddball vendetta against the planet, then it’s hard to find anything the TRX has over the RHO. The RHO is lighter, more fuel efficient, could still win a drag race with the right weight differential between drivers, has better suspension tuning, and offers better tech and safety options.

Pricing and availability are big factors, though. Resale value of the TRX tends to be high, but four years on the market leaves a wide range of examples with varying mileage, condition, and price. If the goal is an off-road rig, a smaller investment for a used TRX might be preferable to a new RHO; it starts at $71,990, but you’re looking at a minimum of $81,985 to add the equipment group that includes options like the head-up display, 14-inch display, dual wireless chargers, and surround-view camera system.

Will you be hurrying to the dealership for a Hurricane-powered RHO, or will you say, “To hell with that!” as you search for the best deal on a Hellcat-powered TRX? Either way, it’s more complicated than “same truck, different engine.”